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Murray as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Murray

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The baby name Murray is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈmʌri/ (MUR-ee).

Gender: Male
Syllables: 2.0
Pronunciation: /ˈmʌri/ (MUR-ee)

What is the meaning of the name Murray ?

The baby name Murray is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈmʌri/ (MUR-ee).

Murray is in Origin.

Murray is a Scottish name used as both surname and given name. It has two principal origins: a locational surname from the northeast Scottish region of Moray (medieval Latin Moravia), and an Anglicization of the Gaelic personal name Muireach/Muireadhach. The Gaelic element muir, "sea," underlies interpretations, so Murray is often taken to mean "seafarer" or "man of the sea," though some scholars connect Muireadhach with a sense of "lord" or "steward."

As a surname, Murray is tied to Scottish lineages, including Clan Murray. As a given name, it spread through Scotland and the English-speaking world in the 19th and early 20th centuries, with use in Canada, Australia, and the United States before fading to a vintage classic. Variants and related forms include Moray, the spellings Murry and Murrey, and the Gaelic forms Muireach and Muireadhach; Murdoch is a cognate from the same Gaelic roots.

Murray has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Murray

F. Murray Abraham Actor · Born 1939 · United States Murray Abraham, better known as F. Murray Abraham, is an American actor best known for playing Antonio Salieri in Amadeus. He has also appeared in The Grand Budapest Hotel and Scarface. Murray Bookchin Politician · Born 1921 · United States Murray Bookchin was an influential American political theorist known for pioneering the concepts of social ecology and libertarian municipalism. His work, including the book 'The Ecology of Freedom', explored the relationship between ecological and social issues, advocating for decentralized, community-based solutions. R. Murray Schafer Musician · Born 1933 · Canada Murray Schafer was a Canadian composer, writer, music educator, and environmentalist best known for founding the World Soundscape Project and helping shape the field of acoustic ecology. He also wrote the influential book The Tuning of the World (1977) and became the first winner of the Jules Léger Prize in 1978.

Murray – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Boys 2025 #1 836
FJ Boys 0 #17 1 603
BW 0 #19 1 960
RS 0 #84 1 923
CN 0 #86 1 3,857
JM 0 #93 1 3,714
TW 0 #102 2 4,523
QA 0 #105 2 7,011
OM 0 #120 2 6,215
CY Boys 0 #131 1 3,473
MU 0 #135 3 3,613
HU Boys 0 #174 1 3,954
AE 0 #186 2 10,220
DK 0 #205 2 5,198
NA Girls 0 #237 1 7,146
NA Boys 0 #251 3 6,830
TW Boys 0 #254 3 7,111
JM Boys 0 #263 10 6,876
NG 0 #272 1 5,926
SG 0 #282 1 11,010
Canada Boys 2024 #294 13 2,588
JP Boys 0 #301 3 7,909
CN Boys 0 #309 11 9,639
PE 0 #329 1 6,350
DK Boys 0 #332 1 7,401
France Boys 1995 #348 3 1,951
MY 0 #353 2 12,352
HK 0 #354 4 8,483
CN Girls 0 #359 1 8,829
YE 0 #397 2 8,639
ZA 0 #398 50 14,421
PH Boys 0 #408 1 11,440
PH Girls 0 #429 1 13,098
SD Boys 0 #466 1 10,523
GT Boys 0 #499 1 7,625
PA Boys 0 #503 3 9,305
CO 0 #510 1 7,768
CR Boys 0 #510 1 10,188
HK Boys 0 #516 12 12,905
IQ Girls 0 #525 1 11,303
RU Boys 0 #525 2 12,621
PS Boys 0 #556 6 10,655
LY 0 #559 1 12,703
CM Boys 0 #573 3 12,054
BH 0 #586 2 17,937
AE Girls 0 #596 2 20,968
IL Boys 0 #620 6 10,983
HK Girls 0 #648 3 16,104
IN Girls 0 #654 1 13,121
CL Boys 0 #697 4 13,390
IQ Boys 0 #697 1 13,071
SG Boys 0 #734 6 17,960
QA Boys 0 #743 1 18,093
BR Boys 0 #784 2 12,213
KW Boys 0 #806 1 18,755
NG Girls 0 #820 7 15,093
United States Boys 2024 #845 48 7,044
ZA Boys 0 #887 299 25,619
United States Girls 2024 #905 12 8,487
OM Boys 0 #912 7 17,948
Spain Boys 0 #915 16 5,610
NG Boys 0 #918 34 16,906
EG Boys 0 #925 1 15,035
PE Boys 0 #926 1 14,506
NL Boys 0 #938 14 5,873
CO Boys 0 #977 5 15,656
BR Girls 0 #992 1 12,708
PE Girls 0 #1,010 1 14,861
SA Girls 0 #1,012 3 25,931
MX Boys 0 #1,028 6 16,355
MY Boys 0 #1,101 11 25,439
AE Boys 0 #1,136 8 22,615
CO Girls 0 #1,152 1 16,140
MA 0 #1,197 3 20,986
ZA Girls 0 #1,228 9 25,928
TR 0 #1,253 2 19,440
MX Girls 0 #1,267 1 17,781
SA Boys 0 #1,685 7 28,008

Murray is popular in 49 countries — most recent births per country:

Scotland, United Kingdom
Canada
United States
Ireland
AE

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People also ask about Murray

Murray is predominantly a boy's name.
Murray is a 2 syllable name, pronounced /ˈmʌri/ (MUR-ee).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Murry, Murrie, Murrey, Moray and Murrey.
Across languages, Murray has these equivalents: Muireadhach (Gaelic), Muireach (Gaelic), Mac Muireadhaigh / Ó Muireadhaigh (Irish surname forms).
Yes, very popular — Murray ranked #1 in Ireland in 2025, and appears in official birth registries across 5 countries.
Murray ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2025).
Murray's popularity is rising significantly. It moved from #322 in 2014 to #294 in 2024 in Canada.
Yes — 3 notable people named Murray are in our database, including F. Murray Abraham (Actor), Murray Bookchin (Politician), R. Murray Schafer (Musician).